My Experience with a Pyramid Scheme

One day my friend and I expressed our search for jobs in casual conversation with a fellow MVHS student. For anonymity purposes, we’ll rename my friend “Tom” and our classmate “Clint.” Clint’s eyes lit up as he excitedly told us about a startup company he has been working for several months called Ariix. He showed us videos of the company’s main product: water filters. He described how this revolutionary water filter is going to hit the public markets soon and if we are recruited now we could accumulate huge profits. Clint offered that there was an upcoming informational meeting for new recruits. We didn’t take Clint seriously at first, but even though we had our doubts we figured, what is there to lose?

As a fellow classmate, we didn’t know super well, we thought it was generous that he would offer us a job opportunity, and a ride all the way there too. What is crucial to keep in mind is that Tom and I had no initial reason to question or doubt Clint or Ariix. Every step of the process is specifically designed to persuade people to invest in this business proposition. We had no way of mentally preparing ourselves for the psychological warfare that ensued.

Clint and his “boss” picked us up at Tom’s house in a sleek BMW, dressed in tailored suits. Immediately Tom and I felt like we were underdressed, and we were struck by the idea that we needed to impress the business associates we were about to meet. We slipped into the car and throughout the drive, they interviewed us on what our qualifications were. After a twenty minute drive, we pulled up to a house in San Jose, lined with Audi’s and BMW’s along the street. On the porch, we were greeted by about ten young adults also dressed to impress. For about fifteen minutes we had small talk with these young entrepreneurs who were involved in Ariix.

Once the doors opened, we stepped into a bright living room where rows of foldable chairs sat facing a large plasma screen television. There was a professionally printed banner that read “Ariix” and a song similar to Fatboy Slim’s “Right Here, Right Now,” was playing. Clint sat next to us and “actors” piled in on all sides of us. Our blood pumped with anxiety as we took a seat and awaited the presentation.

A friendly, charismatic young man named Kirk took the spotlight and for an hour fluidly spoke about how working for Ariix has been the best business investment for him. He cited relatable anecdotes from his adolescence about how he partied too much and needed extra money to survive comfortably in this economy. Kirk brought up one of the most elaborate, professional powerpoints I had ever seen, convincing me this company was legitimate.

Ariix is described as a health company that sells water filters and vitamin supplements. We were presented with videos and pictures exposing how amazing these products were: filters that could turn soda into water and vitamins made from top-shelf ingredients that were healthier than your One-A-Day pill. Kirk noted that Ariix is already international and growing exponentially faster than Facebook or Google. Working for Ariix seems easy: they want to sell and recruit. It would be our job to sell the products door-to-door or get people to work for you, promoting your rank in the company. Kirk described that you can make money based off of commission of the people you hire. Whatever money they earn, you also get a percentage of it, and so forth. It was a pyramid scheme.

With each enthusiastic point Kirk made, the actors around us would cheer, clap, and pump their fists. Surrounded on all sides by fast-paced persuasion, we were brainwashed to believe that what they were feeding us the truth. Mob mentality overcame our logic and Tom and I started to cheer as well. We had no way of checking the facts, but the positive energy from everyone else made us believe that Ariix was the smartest investment we could make.

After the presentations, Kirk introduced us to a polished woman on the side who showed us the product book. A glance over my shoulder and I saw the two other guests who Tom and I did not know were at the mercy of the rest of the business associates, who turned their chairs into a circle to pressure them into signing up.

The woman explained she needed our personal information so they would send us trials of the products. Still brainwashed by the allure of a profitable business prospect, we trusted this was a credible venture so we told her our names, phone numbers, and addresses.

My stomach churned nervously when she then asked for our credit card and social security numbers. By an uncharacteristic stroke of luck, neither Tom or I had brought our wallets.

Tom’s brows furrowed and he started questioning her, “Why do you need my credit card number?”

She danced around the question and gave a haphazard answer that it was so they could charge the initiation fee and order the products right away. She said that they could retrieve that information later on in the process when we had it readily available.

Clint, who was breathing over our shoulders the entire time, bolted up from his chair and announced, “We have two new members!”

The rest of the room erupted with cheers, claps, and a chant of, “Welcome to the family!”

It sounded welcoming and kind but felt eerie because it reminisced a cult.

Finally, the other new recruitments were pressured into signing up but they were not as excited about it. There was no way one could leave without signing up. They would not allow you to escape once you were in their clutches.

Before we left, from multiple people we were told, “Don’t tell your parents.” They claimed that because there was so much overwhelming information at once, our parents wouldn’t understand. They suggested we bring in profits first so our parents would be proud of us for taking our own initiatives to become financially independent.

These people knew I was seventeen years old and they were prying on my parents’ credit card numbers like vultures. The immoral manipulation of these people absolutely revolts me, but the only way to survive in the scam once you’re in is to pass the burden onto someone else.

It was 10:30 and we had been there since 7:00 pm. Clint and his boss were our only rides home and we depended on them to leave. Looking back, that was a really dumb move on our part, but they would not tell us where we were going and insisted on carpooling. I didn’t notice until later that the house we were in had absolutely no furniture either. This scam has enough money to buy empty houses for demonstration purposes. Enough money to make these amazing websites, powerpoints, videos, and fake products; it’s an international scheme that we had no chance of fighting. We trusted these people and they took advantage of that, who knows who these people really could have been? We could have been murdered, we were completely vulnerable to them.

Throughout the ride home, Clint and his boss raved about how smart of a move we made, but meandered around the questions Tom and I had.

Tom and I went into Tom’s room after they left and looked up Ariix. It was definitely a scam and we had to find a way out of it. Kirk and Clint continued to call us repeatedly until midnight demanding our social security and credit card numbers. They claimed that our spots in the pyramid would be filled and we’d be behind in making profits if we did not complete our contracts now. Scared and shaken, we told them politely we were no longer interested. Kirk’s friendly demeanor switched to angry and desperate as he got more and more defensive. He told us they would continue to call us the next day to discuss again.

The next morning, Tom and I spoke on the phone with Kirk. I lied to Kirk and told him I had talked to my cousin who is a lawyer’s assistant, and she said not to make the investment.

“No one really understands how well the company works until they have tried it. Who is telling you this information? What are their credentials? Who are they to tell you what’s the best decision for you?” Kirk snarled.

I told him sternly we were not looking to make such an investment and, “If this was a legitimate company, you wouldn’t be begging me to take a job and work for you.”

A nervous chuckle gurgled from the other line, “I’d hardly say I’m begging you. I can see you’re getting false information and I urge you to think heavily about your options. We can talk again later about this. Ariix is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity–”

“We are not interested. Please stop calling us. Have a nice day.”

That was the last we heard from him.

The scariest part was reflecting afterward and remembering how convinced we were. You watch documentaries on cults and scams and roll your eyes, how could people be so stupid to fall for that? We believe we would never fall for something so obvious, but the Ariix scam is rehearsed to the smallest detail to convince people to fall for it. There were no obvious flaws or holes in their presentation so we had nothing to immediately set off any red flags in our minds. When you are bombarded on every side with statistics, personal anecdotes, and peer pressure, it’s far easier to fall for something that you would otherwise have recognized as a blatant scam.

91 Comments

Fool, you hella dumb. MLM is a distribution business just like safeway or walmart or fast food chains etc. Whether you liked the individual business owners is up to youre own likes. Theres 50 years of research done on this distribution system and it is well liked by the governements of every developed nation in the world. Do you really think the US government wants its citizens scamming people? Do your research before you publish articles on the internet. Look up brilliant compensation by tim sales and may God please educate you.http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=8iu-MvDbPjA

I feel sorry for whomever wasted their time introducing you to the industry that has made more millionaires than any other industry in the world. I can tell that you’re easily brainwashed by the way you write, so maybe the brainwashing just happens to you more than others. Do you really think this “kirk” guy really wants an easily brainwashed bimbo on his team? The only reason he probably called you is out of the goodness of his own heart to help you.

I used to do network marketing a couple years ago before giving my life to God to become an overseas volunteer missionary. I have a lot of respect for the industry because of the impact that Network Marketing is able to make in peoples lives. Not just through money, but through health, mental strength (not being brainwashed), spirituality, intellectualism, and more. All wrapped up together because one person has an interest in helping you become successful. Do you really think anyone makes a career brainwashing people? You got to remember that most people are smarter than you.

There is a lot of good that happens through the works of volunteering overseas and I have seen no less happen with MLM. And sorry to be rude, but 1. This is the internet and I can post anything I want just like you. and 2. You are creating a false image for millions of people who are trying to help make the world be a better place.

James Wilson, we can all tell you are angry and mad while reading this article. Your argument is one sided and only fools would believe what you say. You are obviously looking at this argument one sided rather than open minded. Please educate yourself and reorganize your thoughts. Thank you.

p.s. Jesus is not real to me and many others. You are very close minded, please consider others. Don’t be guiding others to Jesus especially if others may not believe in him.

James, I feel ashamed as a fellow Christian. No matter for religious or non religious people, you are the black sheep. I don’t think you have logics here and you are just insane. Jesus would not tell you to harm people by misleading them. I will pray for you that God soften your heart and help you gain some intellect to understand how harmful such business is.

MLM companies are successful only because people are gullible. The bottom line is that if the products were credible they could sell themselves. Ariix is entirely based on marketing and like most MLMs, psychological manipulation. There is no real science backing the product; the FDA does not bother to investigate MLM products because they are undermanned and prioritize more legitimate businesses. Pyramid schemes will always be prominent as long as you have two elements: people who look for the good in others, and people who take advantage of the people who look for the good in others. The mere fact religion was brought into this demonstrates how hypocritical you are and the cult characteristics of the company.

ARIIX has no real science backing their product? Having the products manufactured in an FDA registered facility following OTC, GMP, and NSF standards while also having clinical trials I guess is what you mean.

I bet you didn’t know ARIIX products are manufactured in an FDA registered facility meaning they have to follow FDA guidelines for DRUGS

Clinical trials huh? I’d love to see the empirical data from those clinical trials and see if it can be replicated. Otherwise you’re clinical trials can claim whatever the hell they want. Your products escape the FDA scrutiny by being classified as a neutraceutical product. Want to lose weight? Eat less and better and do more.

I can’t believe I’m responding to a person who begins their post saying, “Fool, you hella dumb” and then claiming that MLM operates in the same way as a retail company. MLM is actually warned against by the United States Government Officials and while they do state its not illegal that the line is blurry. That of course is an abridged version. Also linking a youtube video as your evidence? Don’t bring god into this when Ariix has been accused of having a cult status.

You’re calling her brainwashed? YOU…. YOU!?!? She was what… brainwashed by society against your cult? Kirk didn’t call her out of the goodness of his heart. It was simple greed. Greed isn’t actually all that bad really. It motivates us for more and to be better so we can get more. Lets not mince words though. Kirk introduced her for his own benefit, and she was smart enough to see past his brainwashing… unlike you.

Let me get this straight… You keep talking about not being brainwashed, but you recently gave yourself to god, and gave yourself to MLM? Do you think that maybe these two things are linked? Here you are asking if people make money brainwashing people and… yes… yes they do. Scientology is a great example of brainwashing for profit. There are bad people in the world. Also… you are simplly confirming the cult status of this group. You saying “Most people are smarter than you” is you saying that she is of below average intelligence. Questioning the intelligence and judgement of people is a CORE MECHANIC of cults. “Here sweetheart… don’t think about it. I will do all your thinking for you.” I hate you so much James Wilson. So much. I however appreciate that you posted because we can see how the brainwashed mind thinks. If you can’t be a good example, you will have to be a horrible warning. YOU are that warning.

You have been lead astray by a false idol with the words Ariix stamped all over it. Don’t worry though. With people like you in the mix, I’m sure it can’t last but so long.

If you really trust what you believe, why do you care so much about what other people said online against you? Because you know it’s a scam and you know that once people see the articles like this, they won’t fall into your scams anymore. That’s why you got all cranky over here.

When you say it is a pyramid scheme, are you referring it to be illegal? If you do research, the term pyramid scheme is used to define a type of illegal business practice. Before ARIIX, the founders were executives of another company that was worth half a billion a year. The CEO of ARIIX was the former president of that company and worked their for 15+ years. If they were doing illegal activity, he should have been in jail a long time ago. This article is extremely misleading which in turn can be considered slanderous. What this very article is doing can be considered illegal for making a false claim…

A pyramid scheme is a structure where you ‘invest’ money into a plan, company or person. That person convinces two other people to invest as well, and the money from those two people are used to pay back the original investment at a much higher rate. Those two initially investing see that, and tell two more people, and the process becomes a cyle.

Based on this story… Ariix has a structure where you pay or invest thirty or one-thousand dollars into the company to join. At which point you sell the idea to two people to join as well who also pay the income. Ideally, these people will sell, and you will be given money from the company based on those sales. The two applicants under the intial person see that, and attempt to add to their own team. And the cycle begins again…

While… no… its not the strictest definition of a Pyramid Scheme the concepts and tacitcs invovleed are nearly identical.

All I see here is somebody coming to leave a reply to silence the author and others with possible legal action via the word slander.

Also… I did some research on the CEO of Ariix as well. Did you knwo that the company he was the CEO of was under investigation by the FBI and the IRS? Then the CEO and all of the higher ups leave the company and join Ariix? New name… New coat of paint… New reputation. When Ariix falls apart – they will do it agian. Change the name of the company and Aandon the Ariix name to scam a whole new group of people. Oh… and all this that I said. That’s not slander. Its an opinion piece. A prediction.

In addition… both statements of Mrs. Johnson, and myself fall under a term called ‘Fair Comment’ which basically allows people to say things that may be considered ‘slanderous’ based on a common good. Both of seem to believe that Ariix is a harmful element to those involved, and the community as a whole. The 1st Ammendment is beautiful. Your bullying is sad and hilarious.

LaughingSkeptic PLEASE get your facts right. The CEO of ARIIX was never the CEO of the other company you’re referring to called USANA. And if they’re just the same company under a new name that that company shouldn’t exist anymore, which they do. Meaning ARIIX is now a competitor to USANA.

And you’re telling me if you were working for a company where the owners and actual CEO were doing deceptive things and making bad calls outside of your control, you would just sit there and stick with them? Rather than leave and choose not to represent a company that was not doing right? If you would choose to stick with a company doing wrong, that says a lot about your character. You should get your facts right on why they left the company before jumping to conclusions to try and paint a negative picture. And if you’re really doing research you’ll find out why they left. Or you’re just looking for negative press intentionally rather than trying to find actual truth. Hence, your one-sided research

Yeah I was doing the same thing he was. Putting up with the same deceptive cult like tactics. Except it was with YOUR company.. Which explains why I got out. Duh… Just saying the truth on what happened to me. I’m sorry you’re so offended. I’m doing this so readers will get all sides of the story. They have the freedom to Google stuff on the Internet whether you like it or not.

Sorry. He wasn’t the CEO, he was a high ranking member of the company USANA.

Also – I recently left a company over morality issues with how the company treats their employees. You don’t think you can make the decision to leave a company for moral grounds so you project your own beliefs onto me. A poor way to argue a point. Worse yet for MLM based companies… they don’t just prey on their employees – they encourage their employees to prey upon each other.

It is not a pyramid scheme, it is an MLM. However, for Ariix members to hardball underage kids for personal information is definitely not legal. I am glad you did not get suckered into giving them your SS and your parent’s CC#.

Take it from a person who went along with it until I couldnt take their fake bullshit anymore. The cars, shoes, and designer items are all hype. They would rather have you squander your money that you scammed others out of on “successories” instead of paying bills… Thus leading to a vicious cycle of deception. You made the right decision by getting out before they got you. Your odds of becoming a millionaire through MLM are worse than the roulette table. I’ve been on both sides of this debate at one point and now that I’m not a part of this house of smoke and mirrors anymore… I am pissed off that they’re take advantage of innocent people in high school who don’t know any better. I am even more pissed off that I was one of these people at one point. When the whole thing comes crashing down they’ll look for another company to latch onto and more young people to feed into their machine built on lies and false promises.

The odds of becoming a millionaire in any business model no matter what it is (stocks, real estate, small business, internet, MLM) is always worse than the roulette table, which has 50/50 odds. No business gives you 50/50 odds. So while factual, your statement is misleading making it irrelevant

Oh it’s very relevant. Why waste time on a pipe dream when you could have a real sales job and make commissions without having to recruit friends and family into becoming your indentured servant. Jeez, how can you sleep at night? I’m sure many people would find my initial post relevant to the topic at hand.

I ask about your sleeping habits because I was never able to get a good night’s sleep while being a rep for ariix. I was on their products while needing a Xanax prescription to deal with the constant anxiety of working there. When I got out I didn’t need it anymore. Gee I wonder why.

Oh I’m sorry, I should have used a better example like winning the lottery. All of the other options you listed have better options of becoming a millionaire than MLM. I guess I’ll take my chances by working hard and smart. Have fun living like Bill Murray in groundhog day. Don’t you get tired of pretending to care? You can’t win.

Claire I absolutely loved this article. I wrote my paper in college and I think the way you unraveled the story was excellent and it kept me engaged to the very end. Oh and I am proud of you for not going along with the “business opportunity”. If anything it is a story you can tell your friends and an experience to learn from.

You described every detail that happened to me…Our classmate from school name “Kelly” introduced me and my friend too. We were excited but suspicious too because she said someone was going to drive us there. All Kelly told us she set us up for an interview, to wear formal clothing, it was selling health products but did not tell us the comoany name and where it was. So the next day, we met up at a place, and they drove my friend and I there. The ride took 40-50 mins and we had no idea where we were. When we got there, we went into a room with chairs, 2 banners, 2 little cases of their product and a projecter. Everyone there were wearing formal clothing, except me and my friend since we couldnt find any at home. My friend wore a hoodie and khakis, and I wore jeans and a blazer. Anyways, Kelly gave us a notepad and a pen and everyone there were taking notes while someone presented about their company and product. We basically sat next to someone who worked there. I sat next to Kelly and had no idea what to take note of so I copied some of hers. After I went home that night, I realized that they have been training there for a while, but why do they still take notes of they had seen all this already? I’m sure they have had this presentation to recruit people so many times and yet they still take notes on every slide? Sometimes the presenter would say something, and a whole group would agree with him by saying “yup”, “that’s right”, “mhm”. I found it really funny because they all commented at the same time. After the presention, the people who worked there grabbed a chair and sat infront of us to convince and to resolve what we didnt understand. I felt super duper pressured too! It wasn’t like we could leave because someone drove us there and we had no idea where we were. The person kept on asking me and my friend questions until we were statisfied… and when I said I was, they immediately said “welcome to the family” and told someone to get my information. They got down my information, my ssn, address, name, and birthday. I paid cash, and after I gave cash for membership, another person tried introducing me to $600-$1000 packages. I had no money and felt overwhelmed and when I told him I didn’t have money for that, he left. I had no time to talk to my parents about it and everything happened to fast. When my friend tried asking me what package to get, the person trying to convince my friend told her it was her money and not to talk to me about it. I was still confused of what was going on, so I just stuck with the $30 membership, and when I asked my friend what she got, she said she got the $1000 membership. My friend paid with credit. Luckily, I told her to cancel it because her mother would kill her if she found out. After she canceled it, she came to me and told me the guy really pressured her and felt stupid that she even considered the $1000 package. Even though he canceled the $1000, he still told her to get the $30 membership, and she did. When we were about to leave, my friend and I were still not sure even after we paid. We talked to Kelly, telling her we still weren’t sure because we had to buy the 150points of products to tryin order to recommend people to buy. Basically, we had to buy their stuff in order to work which makes us a customer too. I didn’t like the idea of that because I don’t use vitamins, weight lost products or purifiers so there was no point in buying. My friend and I told her that if we did use them, we would buy and try but we didn’t so we might want to get a refund for the $30 membership but once again she tried convincing us. We stood there for very long talking about it. We didnt get anywhere, so they just drove us back. The next day there was a training session, they asked us to go, but we just wanted out, so my friend told Kelly that we wanted a refund. Kelly said she would talk to the boss incharge over there, and after my friend kept nagging for an answer, Kelly told her we couldn’t be refunded. I told my mother that night, even though I wasn’t suppose to because the presenter said we might give out the wrong information to our parents. My mom told me to beware next time and said not to give them my ssn and birthday because people can use my information. Everyone there were young, I guess they targeted students who needed a job! I learned my lesson not to trust people, and not to go to places I didn’t know. Kelly lied to us!!! There was no interview, it felt like we were being customers!! I told friends to beware, and one of my other friends told me Kelly tried to convince her to go before too, but my friend found it suspcious and wasn’t close to Kelly so she declined! I wish I did that too! But I sort of fell for it! The products seem to be legit and great but their way of selling is out of hand!!! That is just setting a bad reputation for them. When my friend and I got home that day, we googled it and it had scam right behind their name!!!!!!! Ariix said it will help your family and friends make money by doing this but I doubt any of my friends want to bother their family and friends to sell. This can break up friendship, just like kelly and I!! Its just putting friends into a hole becuase they have to earn back the money they spent trying the products to get the job! And in order to earn back the money they spent on products, they would have to introduce their friends and put them in the hole and so on! I doubt they would want to quit after paying so much for the products/packages, so they have to at least make back the money they spent!!! Beware!! In those few hours that day, I felt lost in there, and when I came out I lost $30! My friend almost lost $1000, without even being able to talk to parents about it because we felt rushed and pressured!!!!

Thank you soooo much for writing this article. My “aquientence” one day gives me a call and tells we he is working at a new startup and wants me to meet the founder, his boss. I ask him to tell me a little about the company, like what products they make, how I could help them, stuff like that. He dances around every question and insists that when he picks me up, to meet the founder he would explain everything. I asked about the name so I could check out the website, of course he said its under construction. I asked him if this was a pyramid scheme and he almost perfectly calmed my nerves with the generic script that they gave him. Eventually, through a little facebook research, I discovered he worked at ariix and it was a mlm scheme. He was pissed when I told him over the phone I had no interest in this and that he was deceitful. These people are really GOOD at being deceitful, intimidating, and they are really really resilient, They keep coming back. Be CAREFUL.

I had just started out college living with my buddy who I’d known since High School. One day out of the blue he told me about a job opportunity, and being his roommate and friend since High School, I trusted him and decided to go. I should’ve asked for more information but I was dumb and excited since I have never had a job before. Fast forward to night time, he drove me 40 minutes away to the location. I arrived to a small random place inside a plaza where there’s other people my age as well. I was surprised to see so many people I knew from previous school years(now I learned they’ve been lured into this as well). As the doors open up, they gave everyone notepads and pens to take notes. A guy named Jon, dressed in a highly tailored suit was giving a presentation on the company. Everything he said was followed by an uproar of cheer by the crowd and everyone in the room. Everything they did was set up to make me believe and buy into their scam. It all happened so fast that I didn’t have time to think. After the presentation, I was seated with Jon and a girl named Wendy. They asked me what my goals were and lured me to give them my credit card/ssn information. I felt so pressured and joined. The entire ride home I was having a horrible gut feeling. Once home, I decided to do some research on the company and the first thing I saw after Ariix was “scam”. I was petrified but was in denial that I just joined a scam cult even though I knew that I was making a wrong decision because I didn’t want to believe that I just lost more than $200 to a scam. I swallowed the truth and lied to my parents to show up to their stupid trainings. I even lured a few of my closest friends into their “company”. During trainings, they will park their nice LEASED lambo’s and luxury cars to make you believe that this is the right path. The “health products” they think highly of is a bunch of bull. I am a regular gym goer and I will tell you their products are overpriced and low quality. It’s funny how they think these products are “muscle building vitamins”(they obviously have zero knowledge about muscle building and nutrition at all). All the high ranking guys there are scrawny and Photoshop the crap out of their pictures to make it look like they’ve gotten results from taking vitamins(I mean, their pictures were so photoshopped that it looked like they just cut out a shredded guy on the internet and put their face on there). I am 100% sure I can lift heavier than them. For the months that I was in it felt like hell. I was so depressed and was burning gas money commuting to and back from my university. After a few months of being in this stupid company, I decided that I need to leave now or else I will end up being in debt. I decided to take my loss and left the company. Now leaving the company is the hard part. They will do everything they can and insult the crap out of you to get you to stay. They make it seem like there’s nothing else in this world that will make enough money for me to survive. These people kept calling me nonstop until the point where I stopped picking up their phone calls. After a few days, they stopped calling and I finally felt relief. Leaving it was the best decision ever. I felt like a load has been taken off my shoulder.. Looking back, I take this as a lesson learned for being too gullible and trusting of people.

I’m sorry and mean no offense, but being a “regular gym goer” does not give you any kind of credibility as someone that understands nutrition and physiology of the body. Do you know how many gym goers have no idea what they’re doing? Do yo know how many gym goers listen to “bro science?” If they are overpriced and low quality why did they win an International Business Award for Best New Product in Health and Pharmaceuticals? And another for Company of the Year in Health Products and Services? I bet you never even looked at the products and what was in it

Also, do you have proof they photoshopped their results? And some of the top leaders are actually very well built (but of course you left them out). Or are you strictly assuming? Evidence please!

And Lastly, you felt it was like hell for the MONTHS you were in…MONTHS. And why were you doing it for so long?…I’m sorry but that has to be one of the most illogical and laughable things I’ve read in this entire page.

Lol. I love how raged this individual is. It took so long for someone to try and defend your shifty company. Your products are indeed health products but should they be lumped in the same category as pharmaceuticals? No. Neutraceuticals is the correct term.

By the way, he was doing it for so long cause he had people like you making it difficult to leave. That’s why I stayed there as long as I did. Because I mistakenly trusted someone else who used my recruitment money to buy a new luxury item for themselves.

I was working on my bachelors in exercise science in 2011 when I was recruited into this scam. I am now in graduate school for physical therapy. I’ve studied all about nutrition, exercise physiology, and biomechanics of the body. I know how this machine that we call “the body” works. My claims are backed by science and I am not just spewing out “broscience”. Don’t get me started on the photo shopping of their images. It looked so fake that I couldn’t believe people were falling for it. You can’t expect me to believe a shirtless picture holding a dumbbell oiled up to the max, with lighting brighter than the northern lights to be real. I was in it for months because I was in denial. I didn’t want to believe that I was getting scammed, and with their constant brainwashing tactics, they made me block out negative thoughts in my head because I didn’t want to accept that I’ve fallen into a cult. You are the most illogical and laughable thing in this entire page. Your thoughts are biased and one sided. I, personally have been on both sides of this argument. Please tell me how much money you’ve made. Did their Versace belts and scarfs get to you? Have you made enough money to purchase any of those things? Oh, and Do you even lift?

Being a victim to this scam has also made me a more intelligent person. Many “opportunities” like this have presented itself to me, and I have turned down every single one of them. I now know how to spot out bullshit when I see it, and have saved many of my friends from joining these stupid cults. And also, being facility FDA approved=/= supplements being FDA approved.

Jon and Wendy got you huh? Totally sucks. If Duke Tubtim is involved don’t even get started. I got so much dirt on these idiots and their cultish practices. Let me give you an example, they had this contest called “steak or crickets”. You can either hit the sales goals and get steak and if you don’t then you have to eat crickets. Totally bizarre, demeaning, not to mention unethical business practices. Who the hell wants to drive all the way to Norwalk to hear some idiot give a pep talk and have you call and invite people to come out and do the same stupid thing you’re doing? Not me. Glad I got out of it, make a lot more money and don’t feel the need to live a fake life like these fools.

Just got home from one of these experiences as well. I knew from the beginning that something was very iffy. They came in with the cars and everything but it was completely bereft of anything official. The conduct was not reflective of any “corporation” that was looking to be successful.

It was very reminiscent of a Hispanic evangelical church setting, and that’s what kept resonating through my mind throughout the whole meeting. Just instead of prayers and hymns it was shouting from the participants and such. The main presenter is the pastor and master at manipulation, every single tactic I could see from the moment he stepped in.

Thank goodness I found this site. I’ve already called my friend and told him to rip up the contract and refund my 30 dollars. I’ll have to see what happens because I only just got home.

For those in this comment thread denying MLMs like Ariix are pyramid schemes, the definition of such: a form of investment (illegal in the US and elsewhere) in which each paying participant recruits two further participants, with returns being given to early participants using money contributed by later ones. What is never mentioned in recruiting pleas is the fact that every MLM such as Ariix will never make long term profits from its products. Both short term income and long term prosperity entirely depend on the losses of people on the lower end of the structured hierarchy. This implies one simple truth: the vast majority of participants in MLMs like Ariix will never profit. Check the history of MLM companies and you will see this to be accurate. The people at the top of the pyramid know this, but its difficult to prove this in a courtroom so attempts at prosecution are usually halted unless some extraordinary circumstances prevail. Ariix products are severely overpriced and marketed in nice presentation packages-its like dating someone from Baywatch, nice to look at but no substance, and then you realize you are broke and taken for a fool.

I’ve profited in ARIIX already. So have a lot of the people I work with actually.

And if you understood the compensation plan, you would know that if I have downline I brought in, and they aren’t bringing in any volume, I get 100% of that. So when you said prosperity depends on the losses of people on the lower end, that makes absolutely no sense because I would take a hit for the losses too.

Another person who hasn’t researched and is making generalizations that make no logical sense. Gosh how many of these kinds of people are in here?

Network Marketing or MLM companies have been around for years. Like any business some last and others don’t this is true for all business’s. The best way to know if the mlm company you are joining is a legitimate one is have an expert or Attorney do their research on any company. The best way to look at this is do I want to join an mlm yes or no. If we are not educated in it we shouldn’t judge it therefore get an expert to do that for you.

Network Marketers are independent reps and every organization has a different style on how they run things. I would ask you after everything is done if this is something you want to pursue part time. Yes move forward on getting you started. NO, thank you very coming lets take you home.

Read what the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) has to say about Network Marketing Companies. There is no hiding from the government and social media. If there are companies that have bad practices they will be reprimanded and even shut down. I hope this helps.

Gosh so much hate. But no sources of credibility. If anybody can come up with some credible literature, online even, then you would have a valid point. Otherwise, its all just opinions from people trying to justify why it is too difficult to do or “too good to be true.” I’ve personally have done some research on Ariix, and I have found nothing wrong with the company. I’ve actually decided to join since it looks like a very credible and fair way to start a business.

Is it a pyramid scam? I think a pyramid is just simple a shape that describes how most business are structured, but the SEC (Security and Exchanges Commission) defines an illegal ponzy scheme (or pyramid scheme) as such: an profitable orgazanization that offers an opportunity by exchanging money or currency without a return in value (such as a product or service). Ariix seems to have products that actually carry a value above the price tag. Sure, many people buy into the opportunity to make money, but so far, I have many people who just buy into the products without care into the opportunity. So by the SEC definition of an illegal ponzy or pyramid, or fraudulent Multi-Level Marketing Scheme, Ariix does not seem to meet any of those descriptions. For more info, click the link below, which I found using a simple google search:

As for Duke Tubtim, John, and Wendy, I’ve met all 3 of them. Actually, Wendy is a good friend of mine from high school, and I can honestly say that they are very classy and professional people. They are not scam artists in any way. However, the real scam here is when people come into the company believing it is a glorified lottery ticket and that they merely only have to recruit and buy in to become rich beyond their wildest dreams. And Yes, while that is one aspect of this line of doing business, statistics show that the people who made it to the top and have made a sustainable income have all involved product sharing just as importantly, if not, more importantly than recruiting. If you look at Duke’s organization, there are actually three times as many clients and customers that care solely only on the products and their own health than there are people in the so-called “pyramid”.

Also, I have seen the so called “rented” cars on a day to day basis for almost every day since I have started working with this group, and also, by doing a simple google search, I have found it is actually more expensive to rent these cars every day for a few months than it is to buy the cars. So even if what you say is true, then you just claimed that these guys make more money than they probably do in reality.

Case and point, Duke’s Ferrari would cost $4k to rent per month. Versus actually owning it would be only $1500 per month. If you dont believe me, look for it on enterprise or rent a car. Then go to the ferrari website and take a look at the financing options.

So before saying anything, check your sources, and form your own opinion rather than talking smack. PEACE OUT!

-I’ve done research as well about Ariix. There isn’t much bad on the internet about it. That is a huge warning label for me. Any company that is that well manicured likely uses legal tactics to shut down negative content or pays for positive content to be created. Even in these replies you see threats of legal action such as calling this blog entry slanderous.

-Fine. Its not a pyramid scam in the most technical of definitions. That doesn’t make it any better what is being done. If the company and products are so good, why can’t they use traditional company structure? MLM companies prey upon the family and friends of each person who joins, and then the friends and families of those members, and so on.

-So in the first paragraph you’ve done research. Given that you have a friend from high school involved in this company, I would put money on your search being completely biased if not you having been a member of the company and being spoon fed the information instead of doing an independent search with a critical mind. You say these people are not scam artists in any way… well… I don’t even know if you’re not of them or part of the scam yourself. What makes your word any more truthful than theirs? You have a bias by being part of the company and you rely on it succeeding.

-Leases are a cheap way to use a car for six months or longer as well without actually having or needing the funds to purchase the car in its entirety. You’re not even denying that they don’t own the cars, just attacking a minor flaw in an argument based on a one day event but not addressing the actual concern behind the event. Good job. Razzle dazzle.

-More cherry picked information. With a very basic search I’ve found that you can rent a ferrari from Hertz for 200 dollars a day. The older… classic models could be as high as $1500 but… still. I even found an 8$ an hour deal, thoough that was a special and a short time. Those are all deals to DRIVE a vehicle. How much to have a vehicle simply sit in the driveway? What if I have a friend that has a Lambo and I just ask him to borrow it? The question is… DOES HE OWN IT?

-Hah. You want us to form our own opinion, which is what this person did. You’re biased. You’re part of the cult, and you want to lambast an opinion that doesn’t match your own personal belief. Well… Enjoy… You just gave me a chance to have my fun lambasting your logic like you… tried… to do to the writer of this article.

– So you don’t see a lot of negative about ARIIX and that to you is a bad thing? You feel a company is more legit with more negative information? Ya I don’t understand the logic. There’s really no pleasing you then lol it seems you just want to believe what you want to believe regardless of facts presented

– Do you feel a company with good product should all distribute their product only ONE WAY? The “traditional way” as you called it? Are you aware there are multiple ways to distribute a product legitimately? I’m sure you have researched and are aware that companies such as AT&T, Coca Cola, Colgate, Palmolive, and Texas Instruments to name a few are companies that use the MLM model to distribute some or all of their products? Maybe because it’s an effective form of distribution? Or maybe all those companies are not legit either

– You say you’ve done real research but if that was true you would have noticed that ARIIX has won multiple International Business Awards (aka Stevie Awards). What are the Stevie Awards you might ask? Straight from their site:

“The Stevie® Awards are the world’s premier business awards. They were created in 2002 to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide. In short order the Stevie has become one of the world’s most coveted prizes. ”

They were created AFTER the Enron scandal to recognize legitimate companies doing good work. If you think you could out research them, an organization that exists primarily on researching companies IDK what to tell you. You’d probably say ARIIX paid for their awards lol

– I know a lot of business owners who actually lease their cars because its better on their taxes being able to deduct the payments. Does it mean they can’t afford it? No. Does it mean they’re not on the registration? No. Many times it’s smart business because they won’t have all their money tied up in a car and could save on taxes. 1/3 of exotic cars on the roads are leased. Friend that works at an exotic car dealership said it’s very common. Does that mean all these rich people are really poor because they’re not on the pink slip? Obviously not. Many people who have money tend to go through cars very often because they get bored or want something newer. So if you think they should pay cash for their cars knowing it probably isn’t something they’ll keep for a while and lose money on depreciation when they sell it, then you’re just not very financially savvy.

So it seems to you there is only ONE way to do a lot of things. The “traditional” way. And any other way means something is shady. All companies with good product should have a storefront, all rich people with exotic cars should pay cash and have their name on the pink slip, all good companies should have lots of negative reviews online. Of course though because I’m an ARIIX rep making money in the company you will call me biased and an idiot tying to scam others who isn’t allowing others to form their own opinion because I present the facts

What percentage of your sales comes from the actual sale of products and what percent comes from recruiting gullible people who reject sound advice from their friends and relatives? We want facts. If you’re doing so well, prove it.

-Every Company has bad reviews. This is because there is such a disparate sense of entitlement and morality in the United States. People believe different things, and eventually people get irked by that. Your company has bad reviews, but the company is very well manicured so that those reviews are hard to find, and hard to chance upon. This is a sign of a company that has something to hide.

-I feel that a company that has a product can sell it in the traditional way and make money. If they want to sell it in new ways after they have proven the validity of the product, then they can explore new and more importantly.. honest avenues. MLM is only a single step away from being a pyramid scheme. So sure… find a new way to sell the product… that isnt a scheme, and then we can talk.

-The car is a sales technique to draw people in to the cult. To show success. Leasing a car for months on end is fine… but purchasing it for a 4 hour period for $32 to trick people into showing how ‘successful’ you are, is a scam tactic. Its an outright lie.

-Yes. You are biased. Its worse than that though. Due to the structure of MLM you directly benefit from the Aarix structure. You’re literally a paid shill for the company because this could cost you money if one of your underlings sees this article and leaves. Your success is predicated on maintaining the manicured state of your MLM, and keeping your cultists in the cult.

Hah. She probably got you with the feigned interest script she’s repeated to everyone on her call list. “OH hey! I haven’t heard from you in ages! How’s everything? Great. Check out my business opportunity”. All you arrix people are suspect.

I’ve been relatively quiet for a few years but since there’s an open invitation to talk smack about ariix I’m gonna take you up on it. It’s nothing personal. I just hate your company and everything it stands for.

~Beware any person, business or organization which attempts to recruit you. ~Never sign anything quickly. ~MLMs are legal, but this doesn’t mean you won’t be scammed and you should only give them money you are willing to burn. ~If a business goes out of the way to prove that they are legitimate and legal you should run away quickly. ~Always compare what you will be selling with a similar product online because most MLM products/services are copies of products/services available elsewhere. (Some are just repackaged at a higher price) ~If you do join, never attempt to recruit any family member or anyone you consider to be your friend. You will regret it.

My brother’s wife is heavily involved in Ariix. You want the facts, well here it is. She’s been with the company since they pre launched 2011. The official launch was in 2012. From 2011-2015, the most they made in base commission in a year was approx. $8K (gross income). After factoring $ spent on additional products, special events, training materials, gas & other travel expenses, their net income: approximately minus $2K. My bro’s wife swears by the products. Everything from the vitamins to the water filter to the weight loss product. I’ll admit she has lost a significant amount of weight (30 plus lbs.) which she attributes primarily to their weight loss product Slenderiix. My bro. told me that she’s in the gym 4 days a week & eats quite healthy, so it could be her lifestyle change that has helped her shed the lbs. In any case, he told me about a top 20 income chart that Duke’s organization posts on a weekly basis. I asked him how much in base commission one would have to make to make it in the top 20 & he told me straight up about $200/week & you’re pretty much assured a spot in the top 20. If you make $400-500/week you’re pretty much guaranteed a spot in the top 10 or even the top 5. He estimates that there are probably a few thousand members under Duke, so that gives you a good estimate of the amount of $ people are making @ Ariix. He hypothesizes that the top leaders in Duke’s organization most likely do make a profit, but the other 99.9% are most likely losing $$.

Thank you for your article. I really am trying to do research on this business out of concern for others who are being pulled in. I have had experience with pyramid schemes type businesses. While this is a business that sells “products” these products are completely useless and sometimes dangerous. It’s a little awful to watch people being pulled into these types of programs out of desperation for easy money. Like herbalife or any other company, they can hide behind the pretense of selling products, but really it’s hiding the pyramid structure. I’m sorry if this experience was uncomfortable, but I really appreciate your account. You’re an excellent writer.

If Ariix is so great than why isn’t it sold in Costco? Thats right.. cause Costco is a legitimate business with employees that have benefit plans and an extremely high retention rate. Does ariix have that? I didn’t think so. Costco memberships provide way more value than your snake oil subscription.

Companies such as these are ALL over UTAH. Once I saw this company was based there … Well I’d just as far away as possible . The experience you had sounded so creepy and superficial. I’m glad you were not caught up in something that would have been difficult to get away from.

I HAD a “friend” on Facebook who loved to post the cars, the suits, the money, the houses #Ariix. It’s all so fake. Can’t believe people actually fall for this crap.

It’s not just health products that MLM’s are peddling these days though. Now they’re into insurance and other “financial vehicles” that seem legit because they sell financial products from reputable companies such as Prudential or Transamerica. At least that’s what they say in their presentations. But the MO is the same. Recruit and rip-off. Be wary of people from such-and-such financial company asking you to come for an interview. You’ll end up in the same situation described in this article where you have to sit through a presentation instead of an “interview,” where everyone in the company is putting up a facade of being ridiculously successful, then you are forced to fork over your SSN and money to be part of the sham “company.”

It’s all so deceptive and utterly devoid of any altruistic mission. What’s worse is that they seem to prey on the most vulnerable–students and desperate job seekers.

Sad thing is a lot of the key players in this scam Todd Rowland, Tim Sales and others were all key players at FHTM when it was shut down in 2013, they all just bounced to this place. They all live in rental houses and such a way to not have any assets when this one is raided and shut down as well hopefully soon. Years ago I was almost suckered into the FHTM scam by no other than Todd Rowland’s dad who was also a “member” and a CPA to beat. Glad I didnt bite! Dont believe me google it.

Fact Check: Tim Sales was never a rep in FHTM. And if the owners of a company are doing something wrong and the reps were innocent, if the company gets shut down it doesn’t make the reps guilty too. If they were good at what they did, why wouldn’t they try and find a good company with good leadership to use their talents?

So I have a question that needs answering…LaughingSkeptic you can answer this one if you would like. I’m in ARIIX, and they’ve paid me every single time I got a customer. Literally, every time. And they’ve never paid me for simply just recruiting someone…sooo how if it is a scam why are they paying me??? Oh and some of these customers I have are family members who have lost weight with their products and said they’ve felt incredible since being on it…so how am I suckering them when they’re happy with their results? I’m just curious I need answers…

Good for them. I wonder how many of your family members bought products through you just out of pity. Happened with me once, my aunt never used any of the products. I think I made like 20 bucks off losing respect from a family member that one time. Now we just look back at it and laugh

They’re paying you a cheap commission and taking the lion’s share of the profit margins from the dirt cheap cost of production. They’re paying you yes, but probably not that much. You may or may not know this but they’re making so much more money from you leveraging and ruining your personal relationships than you are. It’s only a matter of time before you find a better paying career and quit ariix. Then you’ll probably join me on the “dark side” 😉

Drug dealers get paid for their services. Drug Mules get paid for their services. Hitmen get paid for their services. Corrupt cops get paid to be corrupt. Politicians get paid to be corrupt too. Getting paid does not equate being legitimate.

A person can make money in MLM. The problem is that the company model encourages and requires that people exploit their friends and families, and the friends and families of the initial group. You’re literally selling out the people who are closest to you. That said… sure the individual doesnt have to go that route, but its so much more work to go the other way. If the company could make money cold calling and people being paid an hourly wage to sell, they would. They can’t… so they don’t.

The weight loss product (and I’ve tried the pills) is no different than any other weight loss pill. The key ingredients are B12 and Caffeine, which is a diuretic, and is the reason why they ‘feel so good’. Also the other diet pills are less expensive and its the same as any weight loss pill. I’ve tried more than one. In the past I’ve lost 50lbs without the aid of those products, and simply living a healthier life – mostly going to the gym. You want to help your friends… sell them a gym membership because losing weight is great, but you also need cardio to protect your heart, lungs and muscle. You’re suckering them into purchasing a product which is twice the cost. I can buy 100 Tablets of Hydroxicut for $25, but I don’t need to. Also… I don’t think you’re scamming anyone. I just think you bought into the cult. I think you’re wrong… not evil.

People, I understand everybody wants to bash something they never truly researched through credible sources (if you think real research is google, IDK what to tell ya). And bash something because they don’t understand it, or they tried it and QUIT but will try and blame the company (although others are succeeding) to defend their ego and not look inadequate. But please please please, if you’re going to make bold statements about things being a scam, fake, or fabricated, PLEASE PROVIDE PROOF AND EVIDENCE OF THAT! Otherwise you’re just speaking passionately about your opinions

A lot of the negative things I’ve read on here were generalizations about the MLM industry, strong opinions without evidence, or people who tried providing fact and got the facts wrong. That my friends, is what deception really is.

LMAO. He told me about that too. Though they usually opt for the steak & beans competition. I think the crickets were added for shock value. But from what I heard the beans are quite a nasty too. It’s a gelatinous mix of a sorts of nasty shit which is designed to make one heave. He told me that they even have a camera crew filming the whole charade.

Real research can be done using Google as an initial base to access scholarly journals for further academic research. If Ariix has anything published in a medical journal I’d love to see the peer reviewed article if you can find one.

LMAO at all these idiots defending this, especially this Ariix Rep. It’s the SAME tired “response” I see from all you clowns.

LOVE how everytime someone “disses” these idiot pyramid schemes, these dudes come with the same ole bullshit responses like “oooh, it’s because they didn’t work HARD enough and QUIT” or it’s the “they didn’t make the MOST of their opportunity.” yeeahhhhhh ,oookay, thats it! Fuck outta here.

Can’t be the fact that we saw thru your cornball “secretive” meeting that you couldn’t tell “anyone” about before we got there huh? Or the corny jokes the lame douche ass presenters would tell that had their lil minions laughing hard as hell like they were watching Kevin Hart or something? Naw, can’t be that. For a bunch of people that get brought to these conferences by their “friends” that they’ve known PERSONALLY for YEARS, these idiot reps would think we’d know WHAT our friends find funny and what they don’t.

You see, Ariix Rep? This is why America is wonderful. Can you believe that they make you pay for each session of special training?! Training to make you cold-blooded in ruining your relationships. Duke cursed like a sailor during those meetings. Complete 180 in personality compared to the initial

Meeting*. its terrible how much they pretend they care about you. If you care so much about your reps than why charge them to attend training? You would want them to be excellent salespeople to benefit the organization overall right? So I pay 10 dollars to sit in a room for an couple of hours to be talked down to. Sounds like fun

I’m talking about Duke’s personal training by the way. Not the noobie training or the ridiculously stupid call parties you guys do. Those things are the worst.. just like you. I can’t wait to see your responses to all of my posts. You got yourself in too deep and have been fighting a losing battle. Was it really worth it?

FoolbyFool other than the fact that your response was merely trivial and not relevant to proving anything (unless criticizing jokes is a strong argument), please explain how some succeed and some don’t in these companies if effort is not a part of it? How do YOU explain the difference in outcome? Would love to hear a logical answer to that.

It sure must take a lot of effort to lie about how much money you’re really making and alienating your close friends and family by trying to recruit them into your downline. I guess that’s what it takes to be successful in Arrix. I have a question for you though. How many friendships have you ruined so far because of Arrix?

Unfortunately for you, Arrix Rep, the irony in all of this is that YOU are the real fool. Most of the people googling “arrix pyramid scheme” for years to come will find this article and make the sensible choice. They will avoid a costly mistake and keep their friendships intact. Mission accomplished

You also violated a rule on your independent contractor handbook (it can’t be an employee handbook cause you’re not an employee but I digress). I believe it says something about responding to stuff like this. Great job making your company look even worse. I’m loving this. I want to see replies to all my posts and keep it going.

I have to laugh at James Wilson’s comment. To justify being flat out rude and abrasive because “your on the internet ” is the first warning sign in his post. But that’s not why I’m commenting. A friend of mine invited me to a business lunch today to introduce me to someone who sells essential oils because I’m a holistic practitioner. I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach when we were on the phone but thought maybe I was just overthinking things. We met today at a restaurant for lunch and the meeting was going pretty good. I love the health and nutrition fields, and as a vegan and someone recovering from PTSD and adrenal fatigue I’ve done a pretty extensive amount of research into those fields in order to heal myself. Because of my research I was actually more knowledgeable then the guy speaking on the company. The first red flag I had during his speech was them telling me (whose been off meat and vegetarian for 3 years, and vegan for 2 years) that I would love the creator of the product-because she’s a hard core vegan and health nut too. Yet, when I asked if I could take the supplements and he said yes, I double checked the label to see that there in Gelatin! That’s boiled animal bone and skin! Gross! And definitely not vegan. He the. Tried to tell me “it’s vegetarian gelatin”. No, it’s not. I already take several high end supplements and all are in a “veggie cap” aka vegetable celluouse (google Garden of Life vegan raw b complex if you’re unfamiliar with veggie caps). There is no vegan gelatin, there’s plants that can act as a gelatinous binder, but they would never be titled “gelatin”.

Next red flag- they sell fish oil.

Why are you trying to sell me the creator is hardcore vegan, yet she’s killing animals for her products. Some almost vegetarian people still eat fish-but their far from vegan, and are called “Pescetarian”. The thing that bothers me about this is the fact that the specific health benefits people kill and eat fish for is 1) directly related to what the fish eat, and 2) you can bypass killing the fish and go straight to their source and take a supplement made from the seaweed-which is how the fish get it, and I already own these vegan capsules.

The guy presenting was nice enough in the beginning. I even hugged him hello, because -yes I’m a hugger.

All though there were those discrepancies I figured maybe I just happened to have spent more time studying these subjects then he has, and they were simply mistakes.

That is until he ended up spending the last 20 minutes aggressively trying to sell me. To the point where I was getting extremely uncomfortable, and at one point got so upset I raised my voice telling him no, I’m not buying anything today.

Before this guy arrived my friend and I were chatting and he asked if I wanted to come to a seminar or whatever on Saturday. Sometime during the other guy trying to hard sell me like a used car salesman, he brought up Saturday-and the second he did I immediately felt a strong pit in my stomach. After reading this article I now know why. It’s another Russ Whitney high pressure sales bullsh#t scheme-pardon my French. Why else would that guy tell me “oh the product is so good it sells itself ” to spending close to 20 minutes going back and forth trying to overcome my objections to making a purchase today?!

Another thing I didn’t like is he never once mentioned signing me up under my friend. As far as I’m concerned he was about to steal the sale.

Oh yeah, another red flag- we patent our herbs. You can’t just patent a plain herb. That’s like trying to patent a carrot or tomato. Perhaps you can patent a “specific blend of oils” but not just one herb.

Either way, this article confirms my guy feelings.

And the rude clown at the top really needs some manners. I do believe in Jesus (as an ascended master, not in the way the church distorted him) and never would Jesus encourage such rude atrocious behavior. Jesus was a messenger of love, and untity. But that’s beside the point.

If you’re considering this company be sure and tune into your gut feelings. If you’re feeling nervous and unsure like I was-it’s usually for a reason. Don’t rush anything. Sign anything or bring your wallet if you do go to one of the meetings. Also Google Russ Whitney and listen to how that all went down years ago.

This guy tried talking me into throwing parties, and hassling my friends. If it’s so great, why are you pressuring me?

Some mlm companies may work, but if they’re good they don’t need to pressure you.

Never give your social security out to anyone at an initial meeting. Or your credit card stuff. That’s how people get identity thefted And never follow people who tell you not to tell your parents or guardians. Huge red flags.

*** I made a bad typo above. There was supposed to be a comma in between do not give your social security number out, do not give out your credit card info or sign any contracts-if you do go to a meeting.

If they are legit they will have patience and give you time to do proper due diligence-not be pusy, with pressure asking you to sign things immediately or give extremely sensitive personal data.

Again research Rudd Whitney.

As much as there products may be good, something is wrong if they are using high pressure sales tactics. (all though being FDA approved doesn’t impress me. The FDA approves more deadly and dangerous drugs for profit then the Mexican cartel sells. Consider the warning notices you hear in the tv commercials “side effects of using these products can cause- hmm I’ve heard DEATH as a side effect once lol, heart attacks, internal bleeding and on and on. It fuels the Class Action law suits and so on). Perhaps this company has done their own due diligence to find the right key words to trick people. Idk. What I do know is my gut says run.

Hey everyone, I’m doing some research for a friend who’s thinking about buying Ariix products. Can anyone (anyone at all including the Ariix ‘partners’) give me an FDA registration number that you/they/he/she/I(?) claim that Ariix has?

I have some friends who are trying to sell these products, so I Googled some info about Ariix and it led me right here to the newspaper from my old high school! I’m happy to see that the Oracle is publishing meaningful articles like this, which are relevant not just to the students of MVHS but also to readers outside the school (including alumni!). Go Spartans!

I’m so glad I found this article. I was also approach by an acquaintance that I had never really spoken to about a job opportunity that he did not tell me about. He made it sound like it would be a really quick interview but it ended up taking 2 hours. He insisted on driving there which I realized after nearly an hour and a half-I was stuck there until he took me home. He was driving a new Nissan and now I am a bit suspicious that he navigated while looking down at his iPhone the entire time. Why hadn’t he installed something on his dashboard to hold his phone instead of having the phone on his lap the entire time? My acquaintance let me meet the VP which I later learned that a “VP” only makes 500 weekly…. that means his yearly income is only 24000. How does he afford a Gucci belt, an apple watch, and a brand new car with a salary of 24000? There is no real promotion. You get more people to sign up, you get promoted. The VP I spoke to started as a team lead and had to be “promoted” 9 times before making a lofty income of 24000 a year. Hmmm. Simply look up “ariix compensation plan.” Thank god I’m not dumb and I questioned them to which both of them found themselves fumbling too. My friend told me he only worked 10 hours a week, how does he have a BRAND NEW car? Apparently he also works 40 hours at another job. Considering that friend only has a Director title which means he makes 250 weekly… which brings him to 12000 a year. When the VP was talking, my friend continuously nodded and said words like “wow, you’re so right. yes!” while taking notes with me. The VP had drawn me a picture of the compensation plan which I now realize is a pyramid scheme. I asked him for the rough sketch which he drew with happy faces to remember our conversation and he got very uncomfortable and didn’t allow me to take his drawing. They told me, “don’t tell anyone about the meeting because they’ll give you wrong information.” I said I would ask whether my friends/family would buy the product which they told me not to because I didn’t properly know the products to give an accurate review. My friend who said he only worked 10 hours a week probably works a lot more than 10 hours as he said that he was in a training program roughly before this. Assuming it was at least 3 hours long for a group as my one on one meeting lasted 2 hours. And the next day, apparently there was someone else he wanted to bring in for a similar meeting (2) and there was additional training to be done. (3) He definitely works more than 2 days a week. This seems to consume his life. I understand why it’s “acquaintances” that usually lead you into the pyramid scheme, it’s because they would feel bad to sucker in their real family members/friends into being a part of a scam company.

They are all over my Facebook in the UK at the moment, calling themselves The Opportunity Company. Anyway they are having a ‘big party’ in Liverpool tomorrow. I know because about 3 weeks ago I saw the first ‘Hey does anyone want to come to an epic party in Liverpool? I have just got hold of 2 VIP tickets for this sold out event’ (which actually was an all day event where you had to listen to their sales teams trying to recruit you for 7 hours before the party). Funnily enough, everyone else associated with the company also seemed to get hold of 2 tickets in the following days (the same person was liking the posts, didn’t even think that they showed his post to be bollocks). He then went from offering the tickets to offering free travel as well (not flying off the shelves then eh?) and today, the post was… Anyone know any people in Liverpool who would like free tickets to this event?!!!

Sooo, the story continues. So in the past week an Ariix person on my timeline has claimed that their MOA product has cured his Asthma (although strangely he doesn’t put the improvement in his breathing down to the fact that he has also given up smoking…), and someone from Ariix has also posted the dirty tap water scam video as a reason to buy his water filters. Anyway away from bad science, the most recent ‘thing’ is the amount of people jumping ship from other MLM companies to join them. Apparently each one has left, and I quote, ‘multiple 6 figure incomes’. Now I’m impressed. MLM seems to be the only industry in the world paying people multiple salaries for doing one job.

Finally following on from my last post about the big party…. well it turned out to be a damp squib, how so? Well, on the night of the party, instead of seeing loads of pictures of them with Champagne and vodka in a swanky nightclub in Liverpool, they tagged themselves at a pizza place about 30 miles away in a ‘team meeting’. Maybe they got fed up with the presentations?